02-02-2018, 11:10 AM
PHILADELPHIA - The wealth of experience in close games this season paid off for Temple men's basketball in a big way, as the Owls edged #16/16 Wichita State (17-5, 7-3) by a score of 81-79 in overtime for their first win of the year against a nationally ranked team. Temple (12-10, 4-6) had five players reach double figures in scoring for the first time since its win over Clemson on Nov. 19, and the defense came up big when it mattered most.
Keys to the Game
> Temple trailed by seven with five minutes left in the second half, but closed out with a 9-2 run including two huge shots by Shizz Alston, Jr., who had struggled to that point. His jumper at seven seconds tied the game at 74-74 and a last-second three-pointer by WSU missed the mark.
> The Shockers scored the first five points of overtime, but the Owls then held them without a point in the final two-plus minutes, scoring the last seven points of the game.
> Obi Enechionyia hit 6-of-8 free throws overall, but none more important than two with 18 seconds left in OT to put Temple ahead. The Shockers got just one shot off in the remaining time, a three-pointer by Markis McDuffie that bounced off the rim.
> With the two teams recording nearly identical stats in overall shots, three-pointers and free throws, it was turnovers that ultimately made the difference.
> The Owls committed just 10 miscues to the Shockers' 16, forcing nine of those in the second half while committing only two. Temple finished with a 16-7 edge in points off turnovers.
Individual Highlights
> Quinton Rose scored 19 points to lead the five Owls in double figures. Josh Brown added 15, Alston finished with 12 and Enechionyia scored 11 as did Nate Pierre-Louis.
> Brown added three assists and three steals, while Enechionyia came up with a game-best two blocks.
> Ernest Aflakpui came up big defensively, and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Owls.
> Shaquille Morris scored a game-high 24 points for Wichita State, while Austin Reaves added 20 off the bench.
First Half
> The Shockers took an early lead, but the Owls made four straight three-pointers to take their largest lead of five points, 16-11 at 13:55.
> Reaves answered with back-to-back treys for WSU, and after a pair of ties, the Shockers took a lead at 11:09 and held it the rest of the half.
> Both teams shot well (WSU - 50 percent, TU - 45 percent) and both hit seven three-pointers, but the Shockers had an edge at the free throw line as the Owls were whistled for 11 first-half fouls.
> Wichita State's largest lead was 12 points, 42-30 with 4:44 left. The Owls used a 6-0 spurt near the final minute to cut the deficit to five, but went into the locker room down eight, 48-40.
> Brown hit 3-of-3 from long range and led Temple with 11 points at the break.
Second Half
> Early buckets got the Owls within four, but Wichita State quickly answered to go back up by 10 at 15:20.
> Still trailing by 10 at 14:44, the Owls caught fire with a 16-5 run to take their first lead of the period, 64-63 with 7:31 remaining. Rose scored six points in the run with Pierre-Louis adding four and both getting the crowd into it with bigtime dunks.
> The lead was short-lived, with the Shocker scoring seven straight to go back on top by six, 70-64 at 5:43, but the Owls came right back with an 8-2 run to tie the game with two minutes left.
> Morris hit a layup for WSU at 1:18, and both teams missed on their next opportunity.
> With seven seconds to go, Alston drove in for the game-tying layup and the Shockers missed a last-second three-pointer to send the game into overtime tied 74-74.
Overtime
> Wichita State scored the first five points of OT before Rose knocked down a trey at 2:13 to make it a two-point game.
> With 1:45 left, Alston made a pair of free throws to tie it at 79-79. The Owls got a steal on the Shockers' next possession, but couldn't convert.
> After a WSU miss, the Owls had two misses of their own but were fouled on the second offensive board.
> Enechionyia made two clutch free throws for an 81-79 lead with 18 seconds left, and Wichita State got just the one missed shot off in the remaining time.
Game Notes
> The Top 25 win makes it 11 years in a row for Temple with a win against a nationally ranked team.
> Temple has had 11 of its 22 games decided by five points or less, and is now 6-5 in those contests.
http://owlsports.com/news/2018/2/1/mens-...iller.aspx
Keys to the Game
> Temple trailed by seven with five minutes left in the second half, but closed out with a 9-2 run including two huge shots by Shizz Alston, Jr., who had struggled to that point. His jumper at seven seconds tied the game at 74-74 and a last-second three-pointer by WSU missed the mark.
> The Shockers scored the first five points of overtime, but the Owls then held them without a point in the final two-plus minutes, scoring the last seven points of the game.
> Obi Enechionyia hit 6-of-8 free throws overall, but none more important than two with 18 seconds left in OT to put Temple ahead. The Shockers got just one shot off in the remaining time, a three-pointer by Markis McDuffie that bounced off the rim.
> With the two teams recording nearly identical stats in overall shots, three-pointers and free throws, it was turnovers that ultimately made the difference.
> The Owls committed just 10 miscues to the Shockers' 16, forcing nine of those in the second half while committing only two. Temple finished with a 16-7 edge in points off turnovers.
Individual Highlights
> Quinton Rose scored 19 points to lead the five Owls in double figures. Josh Brown added 15, Alston finished with 12 and Enechionyia scored 11 as did Nate Pierre-Louis.
> Brown added three assists and three steals, while Enechionyia came up with a game-best two blocks.
> Ernest Aflakpui came up big defensively, and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Owls.
> Shaquille Morris scored a game-high 24 points for Wichita State, while Austin Reaves added 20 off the bench.
First Half
> The Shockers took an early lead, but the Owls made four straight three-pointers to take their largest lead of five points, 16-11 at 13:55.
> Reaves answered with back-to-back treys for WSU, and after a pair of ties, the Shockers took a lead at 11:09 and held it the rest of the half.
> Both teams shot well (WSU - 50 percent, TU - 45 percent) and both hit seven three-pointers, but the Shockers had an edge at the free throw line as the Owls were whistled for 11 first-half fouls.
> Wichita State's largest lead was 12 points, 42-30 with 4:44 left. The Owls used a 6-0 spurt near the final minute to cut the deficit to five, but went into the locker room down eight, 48-40.
> Brown hit 3-of-3 from long range and led Temple with 11 points at the break.
Second Half
> Early buckets got the Owls within four, but Wichita State quickly answered to go back up by 10 at 15:20.
> Still trailing by 10 at 14:44, the Owls caught fire with a 16-5 run to take their first lead of the period, 64-63 with 7:31 remaining. Rose scored six points in the run with Pierre-Louis adding four and both getting the crowd into it with bigtime dunks.
> The lead was short-lived, with the Shocker scoring seven straight to go back on top by six, 70-64 at 5:43, but the Owls came right back with an 8-2 run to tie the game with two minutes left.
> Morris hit a layup for WSU at 1:18, and both teams missed on their next opportunity.
> With seven seconds to go, Alston drove in for the game-tying layup and the Shockers missed a last-second three-pointer to send the game into overtime tied 74-74.
Overtime
> Wichita State scored the first five points of OT before Rose knocked down a trey at 2:13 to make it a two-point game.
> With 1:45 left, Alston made a pair of free throws to tie it at 79-79. The Owls got a steal on the Shockers' next possession, but couldn't convert.
> After a WSU miss, the Owls had two misses of their own but were fouled on the second offensive board.
> Enechionyia made two clutch free throws for an 81-79 lead with 18 seconds left, and Wichita State got just the one missed shot off in the remaining time.
Game Notes
> The Top 25 win makes it 11 years in a row for Temple with a win against a nationally ranked team.
> Temple has had 11 of its 22 games decided by five points or less, and is now 6-5 in those contests.
http://owlsports.com/news/2018/2/1/mens-...iller.aspx
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